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3 Benefits of White Space for Product Label Design

White space is more than just of the area between design elements on your label – in fact it’s full of design possibilities. Using a color, texture, or pattern to balance elements or create a visual hierarchy can completely change the way people perceive your packaging. Whether you want to embrace minimalism or just need to space out certain aspects of your design, here are three reasons why you should consider embracing white space for your product labels.

White Space Improves Legibility

Whether you have a little or a lot of text on your label, those words need to stand out. Your labels need to intrigue and educate customers at first glance, so illegible text is a serious problem. As such, it’s a good idea to give your words some breathing room.

Crowded words make for a muddled message. Adding some white space between text and other design elements can make your label easier to read. In fact, a study conducted at Wichita State University confirmed that increasing white space improves reading comprehension. Even a little extra space between your copy and other elements can help define key brand messages, product info, and other crucial statements.

A spirits bottle that used white space in its label design.

White Space Attracts Attention to Key Design Elements

Do you have something really cool on your label and want to make sure people notice it? Don’t put anything next to it.

Whether you want to showcase your logo or a key message, white space is a great way to attract eyes to specific parts of your label design. A wall of images, text, and other details forces people to digest a lot of information in a short amount of time, which may mean certain aspects of your design will go unnoticed (or ignored). By giving your users a clean palate, their attention will naturally gravitate to your design element of choice.

White Space Communicates Value

If you want your label to set a certain tone, sometimes less is more. In fact, the right use of white space may even make your product seem like its worth more.

In addition to helping you attract attention to key details, white space inherently communicates a sense of balance, freshness, and elegance for your product. Those qualities are quite attractive for buyers, to the point of where the Interactive Design Foundation suggests that “using white space can suggest a company’s budget and thus the quality of the product.” In turn, that white space can increase the perceived value of your products.

Specialty food labels with white space that clearly calls out the brand and product name.

Find the Right Printer for Your Product Labels

There are several different design approaches you can take for your business. Regardless of if you opted for a lot of white space or small touches to improve legibility, it’s important to make sure the printed label lives up to your expectations.

At Blue Label, we work with you to help you get the most out of your label design. From material selection to highlighting printing capabilities to enhance your design, our experts can help you invest in the best, most cost-effective labels to help you showcase your products. Contact us today about your next label project.

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4 Key Candle Label Considerations

Whether your candles are sold at your local farmers market or in stores across the country, high-quality candle labels play an important role in the success of your brand. Candle labels may seem simple at first, but there are several factors that can make your investment go up in smoke. Here’s what you should consider when investing in new labels for your candles.

Include Valuable Basic Information

While various products need to share different information depending on the nature of the components, there are some details that are pretty standard for every product label. As such, you’ll want to start by including the following pieces of information on your candle labels:

Product name
Company name and logo
A unit of measurement (in this case, candle weight)
Contact information/website

Once those are covered, there are some candle-specific details you should add. The following information will provide consumers with some specific details that will help them decide which of your products is right for them.

Candle scent
Type of wax used
Projected burn time (hours the candle will last)
Container specifications

Four candles with custom labels.

Add Recommended Fire Safety Details

While candles aren’t as closely regulated as products like alcohol, CBD/THC goods, or other items, there are some label standards in place. As the major trade association representing U.S. candle manufacturers and suppliers, the National Candle Association (NCA) notes that every candle should include the following three fire safety rules included on its packaging:

Burn within sight
Keep away from things that can catch fire
Keep away from children

The NCA isn’t too specific on where this information should be listed, so the label, a tag, or even a dust cover are acceptable places for listing the warnings. In addition to the three rules, the NCA also suggests adding graphic safety symbols to represent each rule. Those symbols are available for downloaded on the NCA site.

While the fire safety rules and graphics are a good start – and mandatory for any NCA members – it’s also good practice to include some form of manufacturer instructions for burning your candles properly. Candles are tested according to the ASTM F2417 Fire Safety Standard, which will allow you to provide customers with instructions about burn length, which type of container to use (if one is not provided), and other important details.

Optimize Label Placement

Between branding and information, you may reach a point where you’re tight on label space. Fortunately, you may be able to utilize the size, shape, and packaging or your candle to improve your branding.

It’s no surprise that the side of your candle – or the container it sits in – is a prime spot for label placement. However, you shouldn’t overlook the underside of your product. While the side of your panel is a great spot for basic product info and special design elements, you can include fire safety and other less brand-heavy details on a separate label applied to the bottom of your candle or container. Container lids also offer more potential for labeling space. If it has a surface, there’s an opportunity for branding as long as your label can survive in that space.

Identify the Right Label Material and Adhesive for Candles

Your customers aren’t the only ones who need to be careful with fire. The heat created by your candles also plays a direct role in your choice of label material and adhesive. While you don’t have to stay close to the flame, your label doesn’t have a choice. This close proximity to the heat the flame emits means your label needs to withstand temperatures up to 1,500 degrees Fahrenheit depending on your product.

In addition, candle labels must handle repeated fluctuations in temperature, i.e.when your candle is lit or put out. The right choice of material and adhesive can help prevent premature label failure. For example, a thick biaxially oriented polypropylene (BOPP) material and an acrylic adhesive is more likely to withstand the heat.

Your application surface and process also plays a part in your choice of materials and adhesive. Every surface creates different challenges. For example, the wax of a candle has a different surface energy and adhesive needs than a glass jar. Your choice of hand or machine application will also play into which labels are right for you (along with other key details like unwind direction that can impact application).

Sweet strawberry candles with custom labels.

Invest in the Best Labels for Your Candles

From design to application, there are several variables that can impact the success of your labels. However, it can be difficult to identify the right solution for your exact product without an expert.

Fortunately, Blue Label can help you figure out how to get the most out of your candle labels. Our experts can work with you to not only determine the right materials and adhesives for your labels, but also how to enhance your designs through special printing capabilities. Contact us today if you’re ready to invest in custom candle labels for your business.

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Pushing the Limit: What Can’t You Do with A Beer Label Design?

Brewers around the world are in a constant battle for people’s attention, whether their products end up on shelves, in coolers, or anywhere else that potential buyers may see their products. In a constant battle for attention, you may want to give your beer labels an extra edge to create a certain brand identity and attract consumers. However, that extra something in your design may be an issue when it comes to label approval.

Whether you’re trying to push some boundaries or simply be clever, your beer label design is ultimately judged by government. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) has certain standards for what’s permissible on beer labels. As you may expect, there are a lot of practices that are prohibited for beer label design. The Code of Federal Regulations provides a very long, detailed list, so we’ll try and break down just what may land your design in hot water as succinctly as possible.

What Can’t You Put on a Beer Label?

When you’re trying to push the boundaries with your beer label, it’s important to make sure your design doesn’t conflict with any of the types of statements listed by the TTB. It’s important to note that “statements” applies to more than just text. Anything written, printed, graphic, or portrayed by some other means on a beer label, carton, or case is considered a statement of some sort. As such, any of the following types of statements can lead to the TTB denying your label design.

Untrue or misleading statements

Simply put, the TTB is going to turn you down if they think you’re lying on your label. The TTB considers a statement as untrue if it’s directly false, false by omission, generally ambiguous, or somehow misleading.

For example, a brewery positioning itself to be a microbrewery without meeting the legal definition of one can have its label denied for misleading consumers. Meanwhile, Kona Brewing Company was sued in California for misleading people to think that its beer was brewed in Hawaii. While Kona does use Hawaiian imagery and names, every label clearly states that the beer is not brewed on the island. Because of these statements, the TTB not find the labels misleading (although Kona did eventually agree to a settlement for the lawsuit).

Disparaging statements

While you may want to make a few snide comments about your competitors or some other person or entity, the TTB won’t let you make any statements they determine to be disparaging or hurtful. With that in mind, you may want to rename your batch of “At Least It’s Better Than [Blank] Schwarzbier.”

A Jackie O’s beer label featuring a likeness of a fictional person.

Obscenity or indecency

This section will likely be the biggest hurdle for any brewer trying to test some boundaries. According to the TTB, “any statement, design, device, or representation which is obscene or indecent” is prohibited. However, it’s not always clear what the TTB will consider off limits. This type of ruling is one of the hardest to judge because it depends on what a TTB representative finds obscene or indecent, not you or your customers.

Part of the issue with this type of prohibited statement is that various boards around the country have been inconsistent in past ruling. For example, The Alabama Alcoholic Beverage Control Board banned Founders Brewing Company’s Dirty Bastard Scotch Ale despite having already allowed the sale of Stone Brewing’s Arrogant Bastard Ale (the board eventually reversed its stance on Dirty Bastard after public outcry). As such, rulings on obscenity or indecency are up in the air, so be prepared to change your design or fight against the decision if your label might be construed as offensive in some way.

Improper guarantees or tests

Fortunately, guarantees are easier to identify than obscenity. Any element that provides some form of guarantee – aside from a money-back guarantee – is subject to denial if a TTB official finds that the guarantee may deceive consumers. The TTB will also deny any usage of analyses, standards, or tests that may mislead potential buyers. That means you can’t make a guarantee that your beer will provide short-term happiness, even if you did survey a small test group of patrons.

Names and likenesses

While you may have a great pun based on a celebrity’s names, that play on words can lead to a swift label denial (and potentially a cease and desist letter). The TTB bars the use of any names or likenesses of any prominent living individual or organization, which includes using any simulation or abbreviation to hint at the person or group. This practice is in place to prevent breweries from suggesting that certain people or organizations endorse a product.

For example, Hysteria Brewing Company in Maryland recently ran afoul of this section after using Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson’s likeness on a label after Jackson was named NFL MVP.

However, the TTB does provide some exceptions to this rule. Beer labels may use a person or organization’s name or likeness on a label if:

The individual or organization is engaged in the production of the beer (such as Rogue Ale’s Beard Beer).
A person of a trade or a brand name used the name of any living individual of public prominence, or existing private or public organization, in interest prior to Aug. 29, 1935.

Pretending to be a spirit instead of beer

Depending on your beer, you may want to utilize certain aspects of spirits on your beer label. However, it’s important not to make it seem like your beer is or contains a distilled spirit. Any statement or design element that suggests otherwise can lead to a label denial if the label does not make it clear that the beer is in fact just a beer. For example, a label that truthfully states that the beer was brewed in bourbon barrels is fine, but one that doesn’t contain any references to the product as a beer would is deemed as misleading.

Governmental connections and American insignias

You may want to show off that your beer is proud the be an American, but certain imagery or statements will lead to a quick denial by big brother. These infractions can come in a few forms:

The use of the American flag and any flags, seals, coats of arms, crests, and other insignia associated with the armed forces of the U.S.
The use of the word “bonded” and other variants that may imply governmental supervision over the production of the beer
The simulation or and other design made to resemble stamps for the U.S. or foreign governments

Health-related statements

It may seem funny to make a joke that a beer a day could keep the doctor away, but doing so on a label is a quick way toward having the TTB or some other board turn down your design. Using a health claim on a label is notoriously tricky regardless of product, so it’s best to avoid making any such statements if you’re hoping for label approval, even if that claim is made as a joke.

Shows of strength

Imagine that you brewed a lovely dark beer that clocks in at a relatively hefty ABV. You may want to present to potency of your porter by calling it “strong” on the label. Unfortunately, the TTB isn’t a fan of such language. Any words along the lines of “strong,” “high test,” “high proof,” or other statements that infer alcoholic strength is off limits on beer label unless such language is required by your state’s laws.

Numerals are also a potential pain point. While alcohol by volume statements may use digits, you can’t use numerals elsewhere on your label if it can be considered as a statement of alcoholic content.

A beer label design for Electric Brewing Co. with TTB approval.

What Happens if the TTB Denies Your Beer Label Design?

Let’s pretend that you came up with a great label design and submitted a Certificate of Label Approval (COLA) to the TTB, but the organization rejected your label. Not only is a rejection frustrating, it can also delay your plans since the TTB can take up to 90 days to process a label application. Some reasons for rejection will be easier to fix, such as removing untruthful statements or disallowed imagery. However, more subjective grounds for rejection like what is considered obscene is tricky.

If the TTB denies your application, you’ll either want to modify your design based on the group’s feedback or fight the ruling. One of the most prominent examples of such a fight was when the Michigan Liquor Control Commission found the name and label of Flying Dog Brewery’s Raging Bitch Belgian-Style IPA to be offensive. Flying Dog fought the ruling in various courts until the brewery came out victorious – in 2015 after a six-year battle.

Fortunately for Flying Dog, they had the means and determination to take that fight to court, but you may not want – or be able – to do the same. In that case, it’s better to regroup and think of an alternate solution. For example, Lagunitas Brewing Company made a beer called “The Kronik” that was initially approved in the state of California, but rejected when Lagunitas resubmitted the design in order to sell the beer in multiple states. Fed up with the agency’s inconsistency involving, Lagunitas renamed the beer “Censored” in protest.

Unfortunately, there isn’t always an exact answer as to what will or won’t be approved by the TTB. If you think there may be an issue, it’s always a good practice to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.

My Label Got Approved – What Now?

First off, congratulations! Now that the TTB has signed off on your new label design, it’s time to make sure the finished product does your design justice. At Blue Label, we have the expertise and technology to provide the perfect labels for your beer cans or bottles. We’ll work with you on everything from identifying the right material for your performance needs to providing special printing capabilities that will highlight your design.

Ready to showcase your new beer label design? Contact us today to have us print quality beer labels for your brewery.

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Typography Tips: Text and Font Considerations for Product Label Designs

How important is the text on product labels? In a word, very.

The typography used on a label does more than just provide information – it adds a whole new way to express a style or mood for a product. Of course, the design needs to ensure that text can still provide a clear message as well. Here are some tips to help you nail the typography on your product labels.

Invite the Right Guests to Your Font Family

The fonts you choose play a huge role in conveying a brand’s personality. An elegant serif font is a go-to option for a classy wine label, while a more modern sans serif font is a match for trendy kombucha labels. The choice of which fonts depends on what type of message you want to convey – just be careful not to try to take on too many different personalities.

When it comes to different fonts, there can definitely be too much of a good thing. Too many font styles can lead to a busy message.One way to avoid this is to try and stick with a few fonts from the same font family. This practice will help you create a more cohesive look without the threat of distracting contrasts.

Another method involves pairing simpler, less obtrusive fonts with more stylish ones. A flashy display font is great for product names or other headings, while a sans serif font cleanly presents other important information. Play around with what works and what doesn’t to find a combination that’s perfect for your product without muddling your message.

A coffee label design made with carefully selected typography.

Create a Visual Hierarchy

Let’s face it – people don’t always like to read. That’s an issue when you need your label to tell a story about a product. Fortunately, a good visual text hierarchy will help you establish the right viewing pattern and communicate your story in style.

As with any story, your label will need a beginning, middle, and end. Some words are more important than others, which is why you can vary the weight and placement of certain text to call out information in a specific order. Using the same sizes and fonts for everything will make your customers work to determine what’s important. In a business where you have only seconds to make an impression, nobody has time for that.

Instead, plan out what information deserves a heading, a sub-heading, or regular body copy. Big, bold fonts establish a visual hierarchy of what’s first for your audience. From there, you can vary the design of each line to draw shoppers eyes in a specific order. This process helps you highlight the basics of your product – your brand name and what the product is – for people who like to skim.

Make Sure The Text on Your Label is Legible and Readable

If people can’t read your text, something went wrong in the design process. An illegible design makes it difficult for users to distinguish individual characters, while an unreadable design, well, can’t be easily read. Either issue can be caused by a few different factors.

Size

Finding the right text size is a delicate balancing act. If you go too small, your words may be too tiny for the average consumer. If text is too big, it can overwhelm your design. In general, anything smaller than 5 pt. font is fairly difficult to read. It also doesn’t help that text can be more legible on a computer screen than on a physical print. To find the right balance, try printing out a proof of your design at full size. This will allow you to judge the legibility of your design at various distances and adjust the text size as necessary.

There are also occasions where the font size is partially dictated for you. Required elements like ingredients lists and government warnings for beer labels or other federally regulated products have minimum size requirements to ensure that they’re legible for the general populace. As such, you’ll need to make sure your label abides by these rules to avoid any potential consequences.

Spacing

Like text size, the spacing between your words is a Goldilocks situation. The words shouldn’t be too close or too far from each other, and somewhere in between is just right. As with size, what you see on screen can be misleading.

What may seem fine in a design file may not have enough spacing between characters or leading between lines of text. On the flipside, too much space makes it harder for users to quickly process what’s on your label. In general, looser leading is a good way to improve body copy, but you’ll want to check out a test print to verify how it looks for the average passerby.

Color Contrasts

It’s no surprise that color selection plays a massive role in label design, but it also has a big impact on text legibility. Certain color combinations may look good together, but can create issues for consumers trying to read your text. Dark-on-dark or light-on-light combinations are particularly tricky for just about any text – for fine print, it’s a recipe for disaster.

The solution? Aim to use contrast colors for text and background. Not only will the combination make it easier to read the words, the disparity between the two colors will help make your messages pop for passing consumers.

Three sour ale bottle labels with clean typography.

Make Your Label Designs Shine with the Right Label Printing Company

Once you’ve spent plenty of time designing your product label – or having someone else do this for you – you still need a label printing company that will help you get the most out of your design.

At Blue Label, we guide you through the printing process to help you invest in the right materials and printing capabilities for your design and performance needs. We’ll also work with you to make sure that your design is ready, which includes checking that your types and fonts are converted to outlines for a successful print.

Ready to work with a label printing company with unmatched quality and service? Contact us today about your next label project.

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Building Trust: How to Promote Brand Transparency Through Packaging

These days, consumers gravitate towards a brand they can trust. According to Inc., the results of a study on brands in the food industry found that “73 percent of consumers say they’re willing to pay more for a product that promises total transparency.” Without that sense of transparency, your product is at risk of becoming just another replaceable commodity on the shelf.

So, how can a company build a connection with customers that goes beyond basic needs? Proper packaging gives you the chance to set the stage for your brand, which means a good product label can help you create an open, honest relationship between your product and the consumer. Here are a few ways you can promote brand transparency through product labels and other packaging.

Show Them What You’re Made Of

Everyone loves a good origin story, even when it comes to the products they buy. Use your packaging to showcase what goes into what you sell.

If you make specialty foods or drinks, transparency includes being very clear about ingredients. For products that are all-natural or organic, make sure your label and other packaging reflects this information. If you make a lip balm that sources local, natural ingredients, incorporate these details into your label design. Forbes reports that 88 percent of people like brands that help them feel more environmentally friendly and ethical.

Even if you can’t talk about all-natural ingredients or other benefits, you can still utilize your labels to give consumers an honest expectation of what’s inside. When a customer buys your product, they want that product to live up to the expectations set by your packaging. Nobody wants to feel like they were let down – or worse, lied to – because of a misleading label or uncommunicated details.

There are a variety of ways that you can be transparent about what customers should expect. The key is addressing potential miscommunications before they happen. For example, let’s say you sell CBD gummies in legally required opaque containers. Customers may have different expectations for how long they may last or the size of the gummies. To address this, consider adding a to-scale drawing or picture of your product on the box or label, along with a more prominent mention of how many gummies come in a container. Taking little steps like this on your label can help your brand feel more transparent about your products.

Clear labels being printed for transparent packaging.

Be Clear with Transparent Labels and Containers

To-scale images and product descriptions can convey a lot of information to an intrigued customer, but sometimes the best way to be transparent is to simply show them what’s inside. See-through labels and packaging bring a more literal meaning to product transparency, allowing the whole world – or at least everyone nearby – to see your product in all its glory.

Take a product like kombucha as a good example of how clear packaging can promote transparency. The natural qualities of the drink play a big part in why people purchase it. As such, using a see-through container and a label that doesn’t hide the natural hues of the drink helps buyers see kombucha for what it is. There’s nothing that screams transparency like stripping away the layers and letting customers judge the look of your product for themselves.

Talk About More Than Your Products

Transparency involves more than just the product you’re trying to sell. Part of being open and honest with your potential customers is to provide information on the who and what behind the products.

A brand is more than just the product. There’s a whole story behind those products, starting with the people behind the brand and what they stand for. Whether it’s a certain value system or goals, sharing these motivations can help people grow an appreciation for your brand that goes beyond what they buy.

Your packaging can help reflect these values or put a personal spin on every product. Do you have a story of why this product came into existence? Tell it on your label. Do you pride your business on operating sustainably? Let that fact be known on recyclable packaging. Are you a small outfit with just a few passionate people? Let consumers get to know the faces behind the product. Don’t be afraid to overshare, because people love to have a reason to care more about what they purchase.

Product labels that provide information about the brand with potential buyers.

Invest in Quality Labels that Promote Your Products

Your packaging says a lot about your brand. Each design decision impacts the way you wish to present your products to the public. As such, it’s important to work with a label printing company that can capture your desired look so that your products make the right first impression.

At Blue Label, we have the experts and technology it takes to help you communicate the right message to your customers. Whether you need a clear label or some other solution, we work with you to help you get the most out of your design. Contact us today to work with us for your next label printing project.

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E-Juice Label Compliance: 4 Tips to Keep Your Labels in Line with the FDA

It’s important for e-juice labels to look good for your customers, but they’re not the only people you need to consider when it comes to packaging. No matter what you do with your e-juice label design, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) only cares about one thing: the law. Here are four ways that you can help make sure your e-juice labels stay compliant with the FDA.

Include the Right Warnings

Your product must include the following warning to comply with FDA guidelines:

“WARNING: This product contains nicotine. Nicotine is an addictive chemical.”

Please note that the warning you place on your labels should completely match the FDA’s message, down to the capitalization and punctuation. That’s not the only stipulation, either. There are several requirements for this warning.

The warning must be located in a “conspicuous and prominent” place on both principal display panels on your package
Make up at least 30 percent of the space on each panel
Be printed in at least 12-point font size in either Helvetica or Arial bold type or another similar sans serif font
Use either black text on a white background or white text on a black background so the warning contrasts with the other printed material on the package

Another potential issue is that some e-juice containers are quite small. If your package is too small to include the warning statement, the FDA will require you to find a way to do so, even if it means adding an outer container like a box or a wrapper that can feature the warning.

An e-juice bottle featuring custom e-juice packaging.

Add Key Product Details

A warning isn’t the only text required on e-juice labels. Like labels for food, the FDA also stipulates that e-juice labels must include other important information as well. These include the following:

The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, or distributor
The weight, measure, or numerical count of the contents of a container
The percentage of both domestically and foreign-grown tobacco used in the product
The following statement: “Sale only allowed in the United States”

Don’t Appeal to Children

The FDA isn’t kidding around when it comes to protecting children from nicotine and tobacco products. The FDA and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) sent out official warning letters to e-juice and e-cigarette companies back in 2018 about “labeling and/or advertising that cause [products] to resemble kid-friendly food products, such as juice boxes, candy or cookies, some of them with cartoon-like imagery.”

What the FDA considers as “marketing to children” can vary. Labels made to appear to like beverages or candies for children are considered misleading, with some examples of children even drinking e-juice because of the practice. Product names drawn from recognizable brands or treats are also in danger of drawing the FDA’s attention. Some examples of past offending products include:

“One Mad Hit Juice Box”
“Vape Heads Sour Smurf Sauce”
“V’Nilla Cookies & Milk”
“Whip’d Strawberry”
“Twirly Pop”

Labels featuring a warning for e-juice label compliance.

Stay Flexible

Even if your labels are currently compliant, it only takes one change to cause future packaging problems. Outdated labels do nothing but hurt your wallet and put you at risk for non-compliance. Fortunately, digital label printing can help you be ready for any necessary label changes.

If you ever need to update your warnings, ingredients, or other information, variable data printing allows you to use technology to manage your various SKUs. This means a single design layout and a variable data spreadsheet allows you to update sections of your labels when FDA regulations change instead of updating every single label design. Digital label printing also allows you to order smaller quantities so you don’t have to commit to a massive order that may burn you in the future when label regulations change.

Stay Compliant with the Right Label Printing Company

Compliance is only one part of the packaging puzzle. The look and performance of your labels play critical roles in the success of your product. For those, you’ll need the right label printing partner to help bring your e-juice labels to life.

At Blue Label, we have the experience and equipment to print the perfect labels for your products. We work directly with you to make sure your e-juice labels are right for your needs and compliance requirements. Contact Blue Label today to talk to us about printing e-juice labels for your products.

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Common Label Mistakes to Avoid: Art File Issues

Before a label is made, it starts off as art file. Label printing companies need these files to turn your design into a physical product, so it’s important to have everything in place to set your label project up for success.

An art file contains much more than just your design. Each file needs to include important details and meet certain guidelines so your finished labels look just like your design. As a result, one overlooked file standard can lead to potential problems with your label. Here’s a rundown of the most common issues that can affect your art files.

It’s in the Wrong File Format

Before you get too far, make sure that you’re using the right file format for your printer. Print companies have preferred file formats so that they can take your file and turn it into labels. At Blue Label, we require Adobe Illustrator files or High-resolution PDFs from Photoshop, so make sure to ask your label printer what files they need (if they haven’t told you already). Companies can often accept PDFs made through other software, but it’s best to ask questions or send over art files beforehand to make sure they are compatible with the commercial printing presses used to produce your packaging.

The Images are Blurry

Blurry images are the bane of a good design’s existence. When possible, use vector images in your art file so that they can be resized without worry. Vector-based artwork uses mathematical calculations to create lines and shapes that allow these graphic to look the same even if you zoom in on the file. You can make vector images in Illustrator
If this isn’t an option, you should be fine with pixel-based images if they’re a high enough resolution. Whether you use vector or pixel-based images, they should be a minimum of 300 DPI, although 600 DPI or more is preferable if possible.

A digital printing expert reviewing an art file for a product label.

The File is Too Big

Art files tend to get rather big if you’re not careful. Large file sizes can make it difficult to transfer the file to the printing press. That means it’s best to try and manage file size before yours becomes too big.

Images are the main reason for a hefty art file. Pixel-based images, such as .jpg, .gif, and .png files, are larger than vector-based images in terms of file size, so too much pixel-based artwork will bog down your file. You should also embed or link pixel-based images in your file. Embedded images are kept in the art file, which can contribute more to the overall file size. Linked images are saved outside the file and can save space if you also share the original image files with your printer.

There are some other tricks to reduce image and file size in Illustrator, including playing with raster effects and file cleanup resources. You can learn more about these methods and the processes for linking and embedding images in our guide on managing file size.

The Colors are Wrong

It’s imperative that your art file uses the right color format. Digital printing requires CMYK, which is comprised of four colors – Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black (Key) – with additional hues that allow best-in-class printing presses to attain up to 98 percent of the Pantone spectrum. The RGB color model is designed for use on electronic displays like computer monitors and phone screens, but not for print. This means that you’ll want to use the CMYK model to make sure that your colors come through the way they should on your labels.

If you have a specific color in mind, it’s important to call it out using the Pantone Matching System. This will allow the printer to look up the exact color code and match the exact shade your brand requires. To learn more about using the Pantone Matching System and different color profiles, check out our digital printing color guide.

The Dieline Doesn’t Incorporate Bleed or a Safe Zone

Your art file not only needs to include your design, it also needs a dieline. As much as printing companies try to make exact cuts for every single label, there is a chance of some slight variation. The dieline should consist of three separate lines to prepare for this potential variation:

A main dieline that maps out the intended cut of the final design
A bleed area to ensure that there are no accidental white spaces
A safe zone to protect design elements

The purpose of the main dieline is simple: to show exactly where a die is supposed to cut a label. The bleed space is an extension of the background of the design to eliminate any off-putting white spaces if the cut isn’t exact. This bleed area should be at least 1/8” around all sides of your design.

The safe zone is also designed to provide wiggle room, this time creating a space in your design so that any essential elements – type, logos, etc. – aren’t too close to the dieline. The safe zone should allow for 1/16” of space between the dieline and any elements. You can see an example of a complete dieline with all three components below.

A sample dieline for a product label.

The Text isn’t Outlined

A good design is more than just images – even a minimalist label design is bound to include a few words. To ensure that these words print correctly, it’s important that you have the font outlined in your art file before you send it over to a printing company.

Outlining fonts is critical because it takes each letter and turns it into an image. This practice eliminates the need for font software and files. It also offers a few key benefits, such as making it easier to create custom type tailoring, adding color treatments to parts of characters, and making type heavier for production purposes. For guidance on how to convert font to outlines, check out our font preparation guide.

Find a Label Printing Company That Works with You

A good art file plays a big role in the production of your product labels, but it’s not always easy to figure out exactly what to do to make sure your art file is ready for its close-up. At Blue Label, we do more than just print your labels; we work with your company to guide you through the printing process and assist you from start to finish. Whether you have art file questions, need to identify the right label materials, or want to know more about our printing capabilities for your products, we put in the time to understand your needs and help along the way.

Ready to turn your design into the perfect labels for your products? Contact Blue Label today to talk to one of our experts about your project.

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4 Science-Backed Ways to Create Eye-Catching Labels

Many brands struggle to find new and creative ways for their products to stand out on the shelf. Tapping into the subconscious mind of the customer, there are several psychological elements that can influence the decision to buy a product, or even notice it for that matter. It all starts with having the right product label design. Here’s how you can use design science to help your product stand out.

Font Type

Different font types can evoke different emotions. Decorative fonts (so long as they are legible) are great for brand and product names, while sans-serif fonts are best for the body copy of your label.

The type of font you choose for your label will depend on your product and brand personality. If you want to portray a simple elegance, maybe for a wine label or perfume label, use fonts that are orderly and classic with narrower lines. On the flip side, quirky and high-spirited fonts with lots of curves and maybe some embellishment comes across as playful and personable and could be used for beer labels or cannabis labels. For earthy and artisanal products, handwritten fonts can be effective in grabbing a customer’s attention. These warmer, more personal fonts would work well on candle labels and organic food labels.

Layout is important in product label design.

Layout Design Science

Spacing between letters and words can impact the way consumers feel about a product. One study, by researchers at Microsoft and MIT, found that participants who read content with a good layout felt more focused and had a stronger sense of clarity, as opposed to those who read the same content with a poorly designed layout.

Good layout design works because our eyes follow a natural pattern that breaks up phrases into scans and pauses when we read. Your eyes typically scan across a label between 7 to 9 words before needing to pause to process what you’re reading.

For your product label design, consider the layout. Rather than long lines of text, it’s scientifically better to break up the text into a series of shorter lines to create the natural pauses needed for visual processing. When customers are scanning shelves for a product, they’ll be significantly more likely to choose a label they can grasp.

Product label designs using the color red can grab a customer’s attention.

Color Psychology

The color of your label design can influence a customer’s purchasing decision, as it can evoke certain moods and feelings. For example, red has been known to increase metabolisms and stimulate appetites, so a food product might want to incorporate red into the label design. Red is also known for its ability to quickly grab people’s attention, so using red on any label is an easy way to make your product stand out.

Keeping in mind that your label likely won’t be one single color, especially when you factor in other elements like text and images, you’ll also want to think about mixing and matching colors. Using complementary colors will help make elements pop. For a more relaxed look that flows together, use analogous colors (any three colors next to each other on the color spectrum) in your product label design.

Applying color psychology to your label is an effective way to make your product stand out in the marketplace.

Visual Processing

You’ve likely heard the saying that a picture is worth a thousand words, and that couldn’t be more true when it comes to product label design. Research below has found that customers are more likely to process and remember text on your product label if it’s paired with images.

People process visuals quicker than words, so adding imagery to your product label design can help it get noticed. In fact, 90 percent of information transmitted to the brain is visual. Keep in mind that, according to the Social Science Research Network, 65 percent of the population are visual learners. Needless to say, an image on our label can go a long way.

Make Your Product Labels Stand Out

Blue Label is a full-service digital printing company that will work with you to create labels to help your product stand out. Our state-of-the-art HP Indigo digital printing presses and variety of finishing techniques allows us to find the best solution to provide you with labels that not only attract eyes, but also best suit the needs of your product.

If you need help designing your label, check out our Designer Directory to find the right partner for your product. Once you’re ready to start your next label project, contact us to talk to one of our experts about how we can bring your labels to life.

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Minimalist Design Trends for Product Labels

The minimalist movement is making its way into label design as more brands are forgoing flashy and opting for simple. You’ve surely heard the phrase, “less is more,” which can be especially true when it comes to the design of your product and bottle labels.

A minimalist’s mantra is to remove the unnecessary. In an era of information overload, brands are realizing that customers appreciate minimal labeling. It’s an effective trend that works because of its simplicity. (more…)

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3 Tips for Designing Natural-Looking Labels for Eco-Friendly Products

Eco-friendly products are making a splash in the market. According to Unilever, a third of consumers choose to purchase goods from brands that are involved in positive social and environmental change. A good green product label plays a role in making sure that the brand captures that eco-friendly look. Here are some things to consider when designing an eco-friendly product label that looks as natural as the products it contains.
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